


Happiness is a Child's Smile

by PorcelainLove



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Backstory, Gen, Iris POV, M/M, Sibling Love, mild Gladnis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 05:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14348595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PorcelainLove/pseuds/PorcelainLove
Summary: Talcott's 2nd birthday is coming up and Iris has planned the best gift ever.  Now all she needs is her brother and his friends to agree to help.(In which Iris plans a song and dance performance for little Talcott.)





	Happiness is a Child's Smile

**Author's Note:**

> I'm including a link at the end of this fic that y'all should watch if you're curious about the song I describe in this fic.
> 
> Also, unless I am very poor at math, the ages of all the characters should be as follows:  
> Iris: 10  
> Noctis and Prompto: 15  
> Ignis: 17  
> Gladio: 18
> 
>  
> 
> I may have too much time on my hands and a hyperactive 23 month old, hence the writing of this fic. I hope you enjoy it even if the premise sounds like I downed a Red Bull or five before writing this.

“Everybody, sit down - we’ve got planning to do!”

Iris’s voice was small but powerful, a true Amicitia through and through.  She held a notepad in her tiny hands and brandished a pencil at her brother until he followed her instructions.

“I was just gonna get something to drink!” Gladio whined, not above using subterfuge to get out of an undesirable situation.

“You finished an entire jug of lemonade not ten minutes ago.” Ignis reminded him.  

Gladio scowled at him and wiggled down further into the leather couch, finally admitting defeat.

“So what’s up, Iris?” Noctis asked as he perched on the arm of the couch. Iris personally thought he looked pretty dashing but he was probably just making sure he’d be first out the door.  Whatever. At least he was making an effort!

“As I was saying, we’ve got some planning to do. Talcott is turning two tomorrow!” Iris spoke firmly once more and scribbled on her notepad.  It was supposed to be a kitty but it kinda looked more like an alien. Unfortunately it didn’t look like her art lessons were paying off…

“Aw, really?” Prompto’s face lit up.  Iris knew that he hadn’t known the rest of them for very long but she could tell he loved kids without even needing to ask.  After all, he was only five years older than her and he treated her like an adult. Much better than  _ some _ people.  She puffed out her cheeks and glared at her brother.

“What now?” Gladio said, rolling his eyes.  He did that a lot. Iris knew he loved her and she loved him but he could be a real pain in the butt.

Iris ignored him and continued.  “Talcott really likes you guys and I think that if you give him a group present he’ll be super duper happy!  Jared told me that memories mean more than things so… I was thinking we could do a mini performance! Maybe even tape it!  It would make Talcott so happy.” She smiled winningly and could almost hear the group’s unwillingness melting away. 

Oh yeah, she knew how to lay it on thick.  Being the only girl in the Amicitia family meant you sometimes had to play dirty.

“How can we help?” Ignis questioned as he sat forward and rested his arms on his knees.  Iris noted that in doing so his thigh and her brother’s were pretty much fully pressed together.  Gross. Gladio was like a furnace all the time, Ignis was probably going to get hot and sweaty in no time flat.

“Okay. So Talcott loves this tv show, right?” Iris tucked her pencil behind her ear (not that she was really using it or the notepad much but it was her  _ look _ so it was essential) and turned the tv on.  Thankfully she had prepared her visual aids and within a minute a song began to play.

There were four hosts.  Iris had four friends. The tv show had props.  Iris had… four willing participants?

It would all work out.  This wasn’t exactly hard.

Iris waited until the opening song dissolved into a chorus of children giggling before hitting pause on the remote and staring at the Prince and his entourage with great expectation.

There was a long silence which was eventually broken by Gladio and his big, fat mouth.

“What the heck did we just watch?  And what, you want us to get Talcott on the show?”

Iris rolled her eyes and sighed like she couldn’t believe she actually had to explain this.

“ _ No _ .  I want you guys to be the show!  This song is his absolute favourite and he dances every time it comes on and oh my gosh he would be so happy!  Especially since he loves you guys! Well,” Iris amended, looking at Prompto, “He doesn’t really know you too well but he calls you ‘Ponto’ so you’re okay!”

Prompto blinked slowly. “Thank...you?”

“You’re welcome!” Iris smiled broadly.  She knew she’d be able to win them over. “So, I’ve actually already got everything decided.  Hope that’s okay.” It wasn’t a question. She made sure it was clear that it would have to be okay.  For a ten year old, Iris was very much like her father.

“I have a training session with Cor tomorrow…” Gladio started with an innocent look on his face.  Iris gave him a piercing stare. There was  _ no way _ he was getting out of this.  She’d planned everything so well!

“...which I’ll just have to cancel, I’m devastated - really.  Spending time with a cute kid instead of sweating my ass off running laps.  Absolute torture.”

“Eugh, Gladdy, I’m  _ not _ a kid.” Iris stuck her tongue out at her brother and made a disgusted face.

“Totally.” Gladio agreed, nodding solemnly.  “And  _ you’re  _ not cute.  Talcott is though.  If this were just for you and not him I’d probably beg Cor to let me run an extra mile.”

Iris squeaked in outrage as she blew a raspberry.  Gladio matched it and it became a very loud, very childish contest  _ very _ quickly.

“If we could get back to the matter at hand?”  Ignis interrupted gently, placing his hand on Gladio’s arm and squeezing.

To Iris’s surprise, her brother stopped immediately and looked embarrassed.  “Sorry Iggy. Go ahead Iris, we’re all listening.”

Looking around the group, Iris saw everyone nod their heads in agreement.

“Perfect! Okay, so first up is…” The notepad was retrieved from the floor where Iris had dropped it in her epic raspberry fight with her stupid (but also amazing, sometimes) big bro.  She looked at her little doodles and decided against fixing them up a bit. No one would see this except for her anyways. 

“Piglet!  I need someone super bouncy and willing to go a little crazy just to set the mood.  The piglet is pretty much the most dramatic and silly character, especially if you go like this.”  Iris squished her nose and puffed out her cheeks. 

She felt a little silly but hoped it would get her point across.

“Ohhh!” Prompto waved his hand in the air and shifted in his seat.  He bit his lip and Iris almost thought he was uncomfortable with volunteering...  But one blink later and Prompto was all smiles again. Iris loved him already. “If you’re looking for the most energetic person here, I’m your man!  There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make little Talcott happy!” 

Iris sighed happily. “Perfect! I was hoping you’d agree!  We really need to start things off with a bang and you’re super enthusiastic and happy and you like to dance, I think?” Prompto nodded and shot his finger guns at Iris. “Awesome, you’re the best!  

“Next is… raccoon dog!  Gladdy, that’s you!”

“Aww, you sure? I think I’d be an amazing fox.”

Iris wrinkled her nose.  “No, that’s  _ obviously _ Ignis’s part.  Besides, you eat too much and you have a squishy belly so you’d be perfect!”

There was a squawk of anger.  Jeez, Gladdy really took the Amicitia tattoo to heart sometimes.

“How  _ dare _ you, I workout every damn day!  This is just a food baby!”

“Hey, hey!” Iris snapped back, enjoying herself immensely.  These fights were so much fun, she wondered if her brother actually knew how easy it was to tease him. “Watch your language - don’t you dare say things like that around Talcott… or me, for that matter!  And don’t  _ think _ I didn’t see you sneaking that Cup Noodle after dinner yesterday!  I have eyes - eyes  _ everywhere _ .  And here I thought you were on a strict diet plan… it would be a shame if someone else found out…” She trailed off and pursed her lips in glee.

Gladio looked dejected. “...I’ll be the raccoon dog.”  Mmmhmm, easy peasy. 

“Next: Ignis!  Like I said, you’ll be the fox.  I mean, your hair is the right colour, kinda, and if you use some really strong hair gel you can style it into fox ears!  You won’t even need to wear a costume!”

“We have to wear costumes?” Gladio again.  Iris chose to ignore him. She’d already gotten him to agree. The battle was won.

Ignis bowed his head in understanding.  “I won’t let you down, Iris.” Great, only one more to go.

“Prince…” Iris felt herself clam up and get shyer all of a sudden.  It sucked. She was trying to keep her crush a secret but she was acting  _ totally _ obvious.

“Noct is okay, Iris. You know that.” The prince smiled sweetly and Iris felt her cheeks burn.

“Right, right. Gotcha.  Okay, ‘Noct’, you get to be the cat because… cats are adorable and I love them.  You have the best part.” Iris got an encouraging smile and so she continued speaking. “Plus, you can be as sleepy as you want because that’ll just make yo-- everything cuter.”

“Sounds like a plus to me.  And yeah, cats are pretty swell, I’m glad you agree.”

“...yes, cats.  I was also definitely talking about cats.”

A coughing sound started up and Iris ‘accidently’ stomped on her brother’s foot as she walked past him.  It stopped his laughing at least, the jerk.

“What’ll you be doing, Iris?” Prompto asked as he twirled a thick lock of blond hair between his fingers.  Maybe he was trying to make it look like a pig’s tail? She wasn’t sure.

“Well, Talcott is still a baby so I’ll keep him on my lap and sing along so he won’t run away.” Iris said pensively, trying to decide whether actually standing and dancing sounded better or not.

“We have to  _ sing, too _ ?” Gladdy’s voice again.  Iris put on her most wicked smile and look at him.

“Oh yes, of course!  It’s not a real performance without live music, you know!  So you’d better work on that voice of yours because from what I’ve heard in the shower… you need some real practice.”

“...rude but true.” Her brother sounded deflated.  Must have stung to know someone had heard him. But, well, his fault for singing in the first place.  Right?

“Okay, so let’s practice!  Talcott won’t know if you mess anything up but  _ I will _ .”  Oh yeah, she really had the threatening voice down pat.  Her dad would be so proud. “Up, up, up!”

The guys scrambled off of and off the couch and stood awkwardly in front of the tv.  Iris sat down in the recently vacated couch and crossed her arms.

“From the top!”

It took an hour of practice before Iris decided they were ready.  Each guy went home with specific notes on how to dress and wear their hair.

The next day everything went perfectly.  Talcott was in cloud nine and his grandfather was right there with him.

Even Iris’s dad loosened up a bit and laughed heartily at everyone’s dress and over-the-top performance.

Talcott escaped from Iris’s arms to smack his chubby little hands into Gladio’s legs as the group of men danced around and sang (only slightly off-key) until Monica announced it was time for cake.  Everyone followed Talcott out. There was a trail of balloons leading to the decoration-laden table ensuring no one got lost.

And if Iris had to go back to the main room to collect her forgotten notepad and ended up witnessing Ignis and her brother with their tongues in each others’ mouths, she decided to suffer from convenient amnesia.

Complaining or not, her big brother had helped her out and made Talcott the happiest birthday boy in all of Insomnia.  She could keep his secrets for him.

Through thick and thin, that’s what families did.  And Iris had the best one around.

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS THE SONG: [Kobuta Tanuki Kitsune Neko](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJV8locVQnI&t=10s)
> 
> Also I may have gotten my kiddo to say the names of the chocobros.   
> Ignis: Iniss  
> Prompto: Ponto  
> Noctis: Noctis (Odd, I know, but he said it perfectly!)  
> And finally, the best one --  
> Gladio: Daddy-o. I am not lying, this is exactly how it was said. So you know, fandom and my kid think the same thing, I guess.
> 
> If you read this and hated it, I'm so sorry. I'll try harder next time!!


End file.
